Rapid aging of U.S.A. presidents

President Barack Obama’s first year in office reminds us of the power aging has on presidents.

1. Easy travel accommodations on his helicopter Marine One, his airplane Air Force One and, of course, an armored Cadillac Stagecoach.2. Delicious cuisine specially prepared by a team of professional chefs.3. A 125-acre rural hideaway at Camp David for recreation any time he so desires.

But, there’s always a catch. It seems that U.S. presidents also have something else in common: aging at an accelerated rate. The gray hair seems to crop up once the more than 200-year-old Oaths of Office is recited.

Take Dwight D. Eisenhower for example. His lack of hair leaves little room for obvious gray, but the wrinkles stand true. He was in office from Jan. 20, 1953 to the same date in 1961.View full sizeDwight D. Eisenhower ages from 1953 to 1961.Franklin D. Roosevelt had to deal with WWII, and it shows. He was in office from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945, when he shocked the nation and died of poor health.View full sizeFranklin D. Roosevelt ages from 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Former President George W. Bush did his fair share of aging. He does have one thing going for him: He had some gray hair in the first place. Just not this much. He was in office from Jan. 20, 2001 until the same date in 2009.View full sizeGeorge W. Bush ages from 2001 to 2009.President Barack Obama is no exception. After one year in office, that black mane has gotten more and more of a silver glow. Here’s how he aged from 2008 to 2009:View full sizePresident Obama aging from the campaign trail in 2008 to November of 2009.

And here is Obama in 2010.View full sizeObama in 2010.It looks like somebody could use a ride on Air Force One to Camp David …Do presidents really age faster than average?In this Healthwatch segment from CBSNews.com, Chris Wragge speaks with Realage.com founder Dr. Michael Roizan. They discuss various U.S. presidents, ranging from Lincoln to George W. Bush, and how they aged throughout the course of their administrations.

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